Miss me?

PHEW! Last week is over. I survived, which I seriously had doubts would happen. So now I'm back. Did you miss me? I missed you. Each time I was doing something I didn't want to do, like hosting a big, out of control birthday party with 10, 10 & 11 year old squealing girls, my mind would go to it's happy place & I would think about blogging & you blogging. 'I wonder what my blogging friends are blogging about right now', crossed my mind more than once. So here's a recap of what kept me from my computer last week:
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1. Monday @ midnight (technically it's really Tuesday morn but who cares, I was tired) making these napkin rings:

We'll come back to this on Saturday.

2.Tuesday morning. Getting children ready.

Hey Hoodee & Sidysue, where are you going today?

It's your 1st day of Preschool! Hallelujah!!!


3. Tuesday night (after mutual). Staying up late again...

making these for Lundles school class on Wed.:

Sweet Sushi anyone?

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4. Wednesday. Making this:

And this: (the b-day dinner, chicken pillows & chips)

So the b-day girl will do this:

Happy Birthday Lundles.......again.

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5. Thursday. Neighbor calls & invites us over.....making children happy. Run children, Run!

because they get to do this:

Thank you Janice!

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6. Friday: Clean, clean, clean. Hanging these up:

Setting this:

So the dining room will look like this:

For the friend party, which ended up like this:

Trust me, they were not as sweet & quiet as they look in this picture. WHERE'S A VALIUM?!

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7: Saturday. Remember the napkin rings? They were for this:

The Pink Tea in Pocatello. It's a fundraiser to raise money for women to get mammograms. It's a breast cancer awareness thing. My friend Jaeme asked me to help her set a table for it. Here's her beautiful centerpiece & our table:

So that was my week & I reserve all the bragging rights to which I am entitled (even though I really hate that word, because that mindset is what's wrong with society today......sorry, tangent). I normally don't do really neat, creative & lovely things like these so I'm showing the world.

Through the Years

A photo essay (with as few words as humanly possible for me) of Lundles 1st 11 years. A lot happens in 11 years!

Day 1:

Nanny

Grandma

3 months:

1 year

2 years

3

4

5, Preschool:

6

7

8, 2nd grade. Baptism!

9

10

Finally! They're pierced.

1 month before 11 (so it still counts!)

Happy Birthday Lundles!!! We love you,

the gang

My kinda kid

On Friday's SidySue has ballet (btw, it's seriously cute). So, Hoodee & I get to have a date. What's better than going to the public library with your 4 year old son? Going to the D.I. with your 4 year old son. These 3 places are in the same neighborhood & since Sidy's class is only 45 mins long I don't dare stray too far, because I'll be late. Her teacher doesn't like that. Trust me, I know. Whoops. Anyway, the library would be the perfect place to go, but guess what? They don't open till 10:30 - are you kidding me? Class starts at 10:00 so that leaves the D.I., which is an adventure in & of itself. Last Friday I met the coolest kid. A kid who says what's on his mind. Random stuff. A kid like me. Here's a recap of our conversation:

Kid: 'I have to buy something BIG with this!' as he holds up a $1 bill right in front of my eyes.

Me: 'Oh, you're lucky.'

Kid: 'Because I'm BIG, I'm 6! And the tooth-fairy brought me this last night. My Dad yanked it out really hard like this,' *he reaches in his mouth and twists and pulls on an imaginary tooth. It looked painful.

Me: 'You ARE lucky. The tooth fairy always forgets our house & it makes my kids cry.'

Pause. He stands and looks at me with wide eyes & a blank expression.

Kid: 'But I have to buy something BIG!'

He walks off.

A few minutes later:

Kid: 'Have you seen anything BIG? I need to buy something BIG with this,' as he once again holds up the $ bill for me to see.

Me: 'Haven't you found anything yet? It's hard to choose with so much stuff around, huh?'

Kid: 'Sometimes my head hurts in the morning from the pills I have to take that make me stay on task.'

I stand and look at him with wide eyes and a blank expression, until his dad comes over and distracts him, easily, I might add.

I like this kid.

October wishes brings new comments

Today is the 1st day of the rest of the month. To me the 1st day of the month is hopeful. I always enjoy the start of a new month, mainly because I get to change the calendar. I look forward to that. It's so refreshing to see a whole month with nothing to do.....that is until I pick up the pen & start making those funny little marks all over the empty squares. Also, it's pay day, and who doesn't like that? With pay day comes food. My family thinks it's nice to be able to eat again. Food that I willingly cook into a nice meal for them. I'm a giver. The beginning of October, specifically, is a meaningful one to me. Especially today. Manly's office turned 1 year old today! Phew. We survived the 1st year of being self-employed. The worst year of my life.......is over. Hallelujah! Or has it begun yet? I'm an optimist so it's over.

Also, I had my 1st child 11 years ago, in one week from today. Once September was over and I hadn't had the baby yet, there was no question that we were going to have an early October baby. That was all I could think about for the next week. Mostly I was thinking, how bad is it really going to hurt?, are they all lying to me because there's not a darn thing I can do about it now?, whose bright idea was this?, why does our Lamaze instructor wear such pushy, push-up bras & high heels all the time? I was also worried about being a good mother & providing a good home & stuff like that. After yesterday, I don't think I've achieved that last one yet. September did NOT end on a very good note around here.

My poor neighbor.

A couple of years ago I was chatting with a casual acquaintance of mine. We were updating each other on the mutual people we knew in each other's neighborhoods. Gossiping? Rude. No. I don't do that, ahem . She was filling me in about a gal I knew, (don't worry, it's not you) who lived by her. About how this gal's children ran wild and unsupervised around the neighborhood. And specifically, about an incident when those children went into their neighbor's garage and dumped out a bag of kitty litter & scattered it all over. GASP! SHOCK! GASP again! All I could think to myself is, Phew, at least my kids haven't done that! You see, I have kind of wild, very curious, busy, busy, busy, mostly supervised children, but when they are between the ages of 2.5 - about 5.5, watch out! The Tasmanian Devil has nothing on my kids. Believe me, our house is barely standing right now. I could relate to the gal. Not that I let this casual acquaintance of mine know that, because she was one of those good moms. "How could she live with herself?", was my bright response.

From that point on, I kept that in the back of my mind as the line. When my children would wander over to our next door neighbor's house and turn on their hose near the window well, I would think, phew, at least they didn't pour out the kitty litter like that gal's children did. When mine would wander into the neighbor's house uninvited, I would think, phew, at least they didn't pour out the kitty litter like that gal's children did. When mine would steal the neighbor's bikes & other toys laying around their yard, I would think, phew, at least they didn't pour out the kitty litter like that gal's children did. All I can say is my children - the twins - became those children yesterday. That gal's children.

The twins. My poor neighbor.

My worst nightmare, as far as inconsequential, fairly shallow nightmares go, happened. They poured out the box of kitty litter and scattered it..........everywhere. Kaboom! Yesterday was a low point for me as a mother. It was not a very good day. I cried. How can I ever look my neighbor in the eyes again? She's the one with the well behaved children. The one I admire as a really calm, kind, good mother. As soon as I learned what had happened, I went over with my broom and dustpan to find my neighbor already set to the task of cleaning it up. For the 1st time in my life, I didn't have anything to say. What could I say? There is not a sorry big enough to cover what had happened to their garage. There are no words to make this mess go away. There is no justification. Only remorse. And a sweet neighbor who showed me nothing but kindness and forgiveness. Of course my children are not allowed to leave the house without a leash and a bell from now on. They are not ever going back there again. They didn't see the light of day for the rest of the day. And frankly, I'm still considering abortion with them. I don't think they're human yet. But still, it happened.

My kind neighbor.

Through all of this, all I have is hope. Hope because today is the 1st day of a new month. And hope from words my neighbor spoke to me a couple of weeks ago. Epee, my 7 year old, at that age was the equivalent of the two of them put together + 1 more. Chasing him around, literally chasing him because he only had two speeds: run fast & run faster, is what put me into preterm labor (& on bedrest) 2 months before my due date with the twins. That's just the way my kids come. He's changed a lot over the last year and 1/2. He's growing, he's maturing, he's understanding. My kind neighbor said, "Epee is really growing up. He's so polite and respectful, and just so mature lately. And he's actually walking." GASP! Really!? Epee? My Epee? I guess the same thing happened with Lundles too. I thought to myself, After all he's done to your place and property, & since I'm the mother I share in the blame, you can look past that and see the good that's in him, & not hold these things against us? Bless you my dear neighbor. You are a Saint. There is a special place in heaven for those who live next door to the M.E.M.O. family & don't end up bitter & full of malice.

So that's the hope I'm clinging to. The hope that comes with a new month. They will grow up and out of it - eventually. They will lose the desire to spin around as fast as inhumanly possible, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. They will become human. But more than for them, I have hope for myself. I can still become her, the good mother. I love my children like nothing else. Today we still laughed & hugged & played & read & I simply enjoyed them. At least, I can keep that hope & cling to it the next time I'm brought to tears..... the unpleasant ones.

BIG Week

This week is not the BIG week, last week was BIG, this week is a normal size, but I'm writing this week about last week because I didn't write last week about how BIG it was - Capeesh?!

RIIINNGGG - Time for school.

Last Wed. was the 1st day of school. Of course we were late...why wouldn't we be? I was only up at 6:00am and the kids were all up and showered and dressed by 7:15 and we live a full 2 blocks away from the school. We did have a great breakfast though (made by me, which is why it only happens once a year), one that you have to use frying pans, spatulas & cooking spray for, and had plenty of time to spare. But I guess we were just waiting for someone to tell us it was time to go. So when I finally figured out I should be the one to say that, we headed over and wondered why none of the happy little children were frolicking on the playground. When we walked in, the halls were empty, where was everyone? They were already sitting in their seats, weird. My poor kids were stressed enough (they actually hate being late) but I still made them stand outside their doors so I could take their pics, like all of the other (punctual) moms do, 15 minutes BEFORE school starts.

Epee's - 2nd grade

Lundle's - 5th grade (fake smile - not happy about having to walk in while her teacher is in the middle of her one woman act about class rules, punctuality (oops), and the rest, & NOT EVEN happy about her mom making her pose for a pic. while she's mad & she's like way too old for this anyway!).

Fair Time.
The other thing that made last week big was the parade on Sat. The one that kicks off the Eastern Idaho State Fair. L & E both got to be in it for the CBTA (their acting class). They were way excited to be in the parade and to get to wear face paint and have colored hair, which I'm still trying to wash out! Their float was Willy Wonka and they won 1st place. (Not to take away from their teachers creativity because they did a great job on the float, but they were like the only ones who had a real float.)

Epee's Oompa Loompa pose.

Yep, you guessed it. Lundle was the Blueberry girl - Violet B....(I would spell it out if I knew how.)

It was a long, hot day but they did have a lot of fun riding & waving.

Us having fun at the parade...waiting.......& waiting.........

Okay, I had to post this pic though. This was my very favorite! The Broncodettes dressed up as........anyone get it? Yes! Napoleon Dynamite! They were doing his dance, it was the funniest thing ever!

It was a good week, but I'm glad it's over and am back to normal sized weeks - I can't take too many of those or I frazzle.